A blog by someone new to blogging, set in Beirut, by someone new to Beirut.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Falling Down

First of all, Dom and I are not in Beirut any more. We left about ten days ago through Syria, on the start of our two month journey back home. We were really sad to leave, the political situation seemed to be calm, although not resolved, and we knew we were really going to miss all our friends.

Over the last couple of days, we have obviously heard some of what has been happening in Beirut and across Lebanon. It is scary and sad. Many of our friends live in the area where the fighting is taking place, my friend Lucy had to spend the night in her apartment corridor away from the windows as gunmen were firing in her street and at one point tried to get into the building. From what I hear from friends this afternoon, the fighting is continuing, and seems to be spreading from where it began. Thankfully, they are all safe.

West Beirut - Hamra, where I spent many a happy night drinking - has been taken over by Hezbollah. Ras al Nabba, where my friend Lucy is, is also now controlled by them too. From what I can glean, it is mainly Sunni/Shia (in very general terms pro/anti government) fighting. I haven't heard any reports of Christian militias being involved in the fighting, but if their leaders decide that now is the time to get involved, I am sure they would. Such is the power of the wasta and the gun in this country.